The occasional thoughts of a writer addicted to Africa. My novels: Far Horizon, Zambezi, African Sky, Safari, Silent Predator, Ivory, The Delta, African Dawn, Dark Heart, The Prey, The Hunter, and An Empty Coast, Red Earth and The Cull. My non-fiction: Part of the Pride by Kevin Richardson and me, War Dogs by Shane Bryant and me, The Grey Man by John Curtis and me, The Lost Battlefield of Kokoda by Brian Freeman and me, and Walking Wounded by Brian Freeman and me.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Free stuff! Win a SILENT PREDATOR audio book.

Until Charlize Theron and Daniel Craig's people get around to calling my people about the movie version of my latest book, SILENT PREDATOR, you'll just have to make do with the soundtrack, Legion of Fans (LOF).

AND HERE IT IS!

I was seriously excited and happy to come home the other day LOF to find a bag full of copies of the soon-to-be released audio book of SILENT PREDATOR, courtesy of my new very good friends and audio book publishers, Bolinda. This is the first of my five books to be turned into an audio book, hence the little dance in the kitchen.

SILENT PREDATOR is read by a fellow called Mark Davis who, judging by his biography (which you can read here is a very interesting chap.

Of course, I quickly unwrapped one of the attractive packs and took out the first of the 13 CDs inside and put it on my CD player. I listened to Mr Davis read the dedication to Mrs Blog and then the first few lines and then I was too embarrassed to listen to any more.

SILENT PREDATOR the audio book (that's another link to the Bolinda website, in case you missed the earlier ones) goes for 16 hours - perfect for that trip between Sydney and Brisbane, Joburg and Cape Town, or Perth and the Pilbara.

I, myself, won't be listening to the whole thing, because I know how it ends, but I am seriously intrigued about how Mr Davis handles the errr... "romance" scenes in the book. I wish audio books were like well-thumbed paperbacks (you know how you pick one up and they always just happen to fall open at the rude bit - or is that just me?) however, I think there will have to be a good deal of fast forwarding and rewinding on my part.

To celebrate this very exciting event I am giving away one free copy of SILENT PREDATOR the audio book to a lucky reader of this blog.

Here's how to win... Since I'm expecting a call from Charlize and Daniel any day now about the movie, I want you to post a comment at the end of this blog telling me the name of your favourite movie set in or about Africa (and perhaps a bit about why you like it). Mrs Blog will then print out all the comments, mix them up and put them in a pith helmet and draw a winner at random (ie you won't be judged on the prose in your comment, so don't stress).

If you are one of the many anonymouses who lurk around this blog, then just put a made-up name in the text of your comment so I can differentiate you from the other lurkers. The competition is open to all of you, no matter where you live in the world and how well I know you. The winner will be invited to give a critique of Mr Davis's handling of the saucy scenes in the recording.

The competition is open until 6pm Australian eastern standard time on Wednesday, March 4. The winner will be announced on here soon after.

I'm excited, LOF, are you? (By the way, my favourite African movie these days is Blood Diamond starrying Leonardo di Caprio and that big bald black guy who always plays the big bald black sidekick in Hollywood movies. You can read my review of it here).

26 comments
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Out of Africa..3 great scenes3. Karen Blixen reaches her hand back over the front cockpit to hold Denys Finch-hatten's in the flying over Africa sequence2. At the camp-site Karen & Denys dancing to 'Let the rest of the world go by' on the gramaphone.3. Making love when Karen says to Denys...'Don't move' then..'You moved'

Not a real Val Kilmer fan (have you seen the pics of him lately? very reminiscent of an elephant seal as he lounges around in a wetsuit) but he was bloody excellent in this movie. When I first read Safari (I think! you've written too many bloody books) I couldn't help but think of this movie. The Lions of course are the stars and Africa is a close second. Val's weapon handling skills aren't too bad either ... all the training he did for HEAT paid off.

Loved Out of Africa.... scenic reasons mostly - Robert Redford was pretty easy on the eye too. Loved Power Of One...have watched on a number of occasions - beautiful scenery shots, very real characters, personalities and mindsets - fell in love with pisskop (or whatevery it was they called the little English PK - wanted to adopt him) and loved Morgan Freeman - very much a tear jerker for me though.Loved Zulu, which I watched as a child. Fell in love with Michael Caine - exposed to the injustices and cruelties of the world... In fact it was probably Zulu that ignited my interest in Africa.Also loved African Queen - because I love Katherine Hepburn, but my most watched movie set in Africa is Lion King, compliments of my daughter when she was much younger!! Basically, anything set in Africa I'll watch. I better shut up now - I could keep going..

Have just received a direct correspondence from the management that due to nepotism considerations [?] am to be excluded from the 'pith helmut'.. That's OK I'll just read the book again to myself out loud. ..

The Ghost & The Darkness, with Val Kilmer & Henry Cele (of Shaka Zulu fame), another favourite/s would be I Dreamed of Africa, Zulu, Out of Africa - the list could just go on & on...........Hopefully you will get a call from Charlize soon

If my memory serves me correctly, there was a movie once called Guns of Batasi. It starred the now knighted Dickie Attenborough as the Regimental Sargeant Major of a British garrison, somewhere in East Africa. I recall with delight the bollocking he served out to an enlisted man of african appearance,for not marching correctly across the parade ground.Of course there is the classic movie Zulu...... buts thats another story.

Thanks Trin & Dozy. Your pithy comments have gotta help me get a talking book on the nod so am getting into the pith at the moment and although somewhat pithed am no longer pithed off at being pithed off out of the pith helmut.

The Wild Geese (1978) - the stellar cast included Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris, Stewart Granger, Winston Ntshone and John Kani; and the theme music was written and performed by Joan Armatrading. (Interestingly, the book on which the movie was based was published only after the movie had been made.) Filming took place mainly in South Africa - my father, a journalist, covered the story. It was newsworthy because although it was made during the apartheid years, the producer insisted that all crew and cast members, regardless of race, would live and work together during filming - and, amazingly, the government agreed to this.

YES, YES, YES Muriel! How could I forget the Wild Geese? In fact, I only watched it again a couple of months ago while in South Africa. I HEART that movie (if heart is the right expression for a flick about mercenaries in which neary everyone dies).

Barman... yes your camera footage is admissable, as long as it's not home made porn again.

Dozy... I don't know if it's ever been officially stated but Tears of the Sun is actually a thinly veiled remake of The Mercenaries (tough guys rescuing doctor and african refugees - though in this case their Navy SEALS).

"The Mercenaries", starring Ausralia's own Rod Taylor, was the film version of the Wilbur Smith book "Dark of the Sun".

The best thing to come out of "Tears of the Sun" without a doubt is Bruce's classic exhortation to the African VIP in his charge to "cowboy the f**k up".

An Afr one I saw as a kid, "Boetie gaan border toe" [Youngest brother going to the border] Arnold Vosloo as a young man playing a soldier in it. Bring it on Arnie, forget about Mrs Blog's Val. I loved him in The Mummy. HOT! LOL (Don't tell Gargoyle) ;-)

Zulu is the one movie that stands out. Even though it was made some years ago it is amovie you can see again and again.The latest I have seen is the last King of Scotland which depicts Idi Amin in his heydays.I wonder how authentic the movie really was.